1. HIKE TO A LIGHTHOUSE

A rocky peninsula with dramatic cliffs, the Kullaberg Nature Reserve is great hiking territory. There are two trails from the sleepy fishing village of Arild to the Kullen lighthouse: the blue path on the northern slopes is more difficult; the red path to the south goes via pebbly Ransvik beach, where you can stop to cool down with a quick dip in the sea. Before heading back, walk to the lookout point near the visitor centre to spot porpoises and treat yourself to much deserved fika (coffee and cake) at the lighthouse café.

Mickael Tannus

2. SPEND THE DAY AT A SANDY BEACH

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Skanör

Less than an hour’s drive south of Malmö, the beaches on the fishtail-shaped Skanör-Falsterbo peninsula rival those in Cornwall. At Skanör, life is centred around the marina: on one side, the white sand is backed by a line of smart, colourful huts and a nature reserve; on the other, the contemporary wood-and-glass Badhytten café (great for sundowners on the terrace) marks the beginning of the bay. For something wilder and more sweeping, head to Falsterbo where high sand dunes are backed by a shady pine forest.

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3. EAT LUNCH AT A HIP FOOD HALL

Skåne is known as Sweden’s larder and one of the best places to try the local produce is at a food hall. If you only visit one, make it Höganäs Saluhall, in a former salt-glazed ceramics factory (you can still see the original kilns and buy handmade pots). There is a cool café for lunch, as well as a deli and shop, which sells everything from fish-shaped salty liquorice (a Swedish favourite) to wine (the region has its own Route du Vin, made up of more than 20 wineries). Before you leave, browse the handful of shops in the same building, including concept store Magasin 36.

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Malmö Saluhall

Pihl Wingardhs

4. CYCLE AROUND A PRETTY ISLAND

A 30-minute ferry ride from Landskrona, Ven is a small, green, almost car-free island in the Oresund Strait. Rent a bicycle and pootle along the quiet lanes, past gorgeous cottages where trees are laden with ready-to-pick pink apples, fields of cabbages and sunflowers that arch gently over hedgerows. Stop for lunch on the sea-facing terrace of Bread on Wine at Kyrkbacken (crayfish caught that morning, flavoursome roasted vegetables, homemade sourdough bread) before a tour of the Spirit of Hven, one of the world’s smallest pot-still distilleries.

Ven

Mickael Tannus

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5. EXPLORE GORGEOUS ROYAL GARDENS

In the early 20th century Gustaf Adolf, the Duke of Skåne (or else Crown Prince Gustav Adolf), and his bride Margareta inherited Sofiero Palace as a summer haven. Now what started as their fledgling garden is famous for its blooming rhododendrons and azaleas in spring (the best spot to see some of the 10,000 plants is from the new Sofia’s bridge). But there are also 900 dahlias, Crown Princess Margaret's Flower Walk – which is still planted according to her original designs – a pretty rose-and-pear pergola, and the tranquil Asian-inspired Jubilee Garden. Upstairs in the palace, an exhibition tells the story of the royal family and outdoor concerts are held in summer.

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Sofiero Castle & Gardens

6. TAKE A COFFEE-FUELLED TOUR OF MALMÖ

Swedes drink 3.2 cups of coffee a day (only Finns drink more at 3.5) so there are plenty of cafés in Malmö for a caffeine kick. Visit a handful of the best with Linda Dahl, co-founder of Matkaravan food tours. As you cycle around the city, she will introduce you to her favourite haunts from Café No 6 in the leafy, laid-back neighbourhood of St Knut to bustling Kaffebaren by the market in Möllevången. Coffee nerds should ask to meet Filip Akerblom at his roastery in Kirseberg and try his new, very precise recipe for coffee tonic.

Malmö

Werner Nystrand

7. SEE THE WORLD’S LARGEST COLLECTION OF SKETCHES

Most galleries exhibit finished works but the Skissernas Museum in Lund has a collection of 35,000 sketches and preparatory studies for public art. Start in the Swedish gallery, where pieces include Sixties concrete carvings by artist and sculptor Siri Derkert (the final work is on the walls of Östermalmstorg metro station in Stockholm). There’s also an international gallery with works by artists such as Henri Matisse, Sonia Delaunay and Henry Moore, and a collection of sketches by Mexican painters, including Diego Rivera and David Alfaro Siqueiros.

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8. PIT STOP IN A COASTAL TOWN

Perfectly positioned at the edge of the Kullaberg Nature Reserve, the tiny town of Mölle is ideal for a pre-hike pit stop. Have a pastry at Brandstation, the former fire station turned café, with groovy Scandinavian design (driftwood shelving, glass bubble lights, jute rugs). Then wander around the lively harbour as locals tinker on their boats, sit fishing from the sea wall, or lower themselves into the water in kayaks to paddle around the rocky headland.

Mölle

9. STAY AT A RURAL SPA HOTEL

Tucked away in a forest not far from Lund, The Lodge is a New England-style hotel with smart wood-panelled rooms and cosy cabins that were recently re-designed in collaboration with American brand Lexington (leather rocking chairs, wicker bedheads, star-and-stripe throws and cushions). Most guests come for the weekend to tuck into a four-course wine-pairing dinner and relax in the trio of outdoor hot-tubs that face the rolling hills. Next spring a new spa with an infinity pool, yoga studio and additional treatment rooms will ramp things up a notch.

The Lodge

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10. DISCOVER CURIOUS STORIES AT A ROMAN CATHEDRAL

By far the biggest attraction in the city of Lund is the cathedral, where the 15th-century astronomical clock marks midday with a parade of wise men and a medieval hymn. Don’t miss the crypt, or the carved wooden chairs near the altar where priests once sat (when the seats were temporarily removed in the 19th century, coins, scribbled notes and what is thought to be the oldest pack of cards in Scandinavia were found underneath; the haul of oddities is now on display in the cathedral museum). Here also, legend has it that Finn the Giant was turned to stone after losing a bet with a priest who guessed his name correctly.